Phoenix, AZ (December 16, 2025)— Success or failure in the world of location sound is often defined by the challenges overcome by the production sound mixer. When faced with the wireless “nightmare” of the Phoenix Valley, Jesse Kennedy of Kennedy Film Productions found a trusted ally in the Lectrosonics DSR4 digital slot receiver, which quickly became an indispensable tool in taming its complicated RF environment.
Kennedy’s career in location sound didn’t start with a deliberate decision, but through an almost random journey down the path of least resistance. On day one of his first gig as a Production Assistant (PA), he was offered a choice of how he could contribute. “I saw four people standing in line to hold the camera, but no one was waiting to help out with audio,” said Kennedy. “I wanted to do anything, not just stand around, and I found myself holding a boom as ‘Second Audio.’ It turned out I had a knack for it, and I was on my way. Incidentally, that was my first exposure to Lectrosonics and I’ve been using the brand ever since.”
This first assignment was the premiere episode of the TLC show Sister Wives and Kennedy quickly learned that in reality TV, chaos is the norm. “After the episode aired, the Utah police opened an investigation into the family,” Kennedy shares. “The production looked like it would be a hit, but they had to get out of town to keep filming. I was chosen to be the audio guy who moved with them to Las Vegas. I was in deep right away and we did 67 episodes together.”
After Vegas, Kennedy spent eight years in New York, freelancing on everything from news and short stories to daytime television, eventually joining the union and working on larger productions. He moved through Dallas for a year and a half before settling in Phoenix, Arizona, where away from the frenetic energy of Manhattan, he met an unexpected challenge.
“I thought New York was bad, frequency-wise, but the RF landscape was varied enough that I could always find a few clean frequencies regardless of their gear block.” Kennedy recalls. “For whatever reason, the Phoenix Valley is like an RF nightmare and my older block 21 transmitters were almost inert in many places.”
The reliability Kennedy had taken for granted—the durability that saw his gear survive the punishing environment of reality television, wasn’t enough anymore. “My old Lectrosonics products were tough, heck, transmitters got dropped in toilets and they still worked,” shared Kennedy. “But if the signals couldn’t reach the receiver, it was time for a change. That was my impetus to step up to digital transmitters.”
Recognizing that he likely wasn’t the first person in Phoenix to encounter this problem, Kennedy turned to the collective wisdom of the local community. “I started asking other local mixers to see how they dealt with the RF challenges here. It was assuring to hear that many of them had gone to Lectrosonics digital solutions.”
The adoption of the Lectrosonics DSR4 digital slot receiver was immediately effective. “Once I went to the DSR4, wireless spectrum interference wasn’t an issue anymore,” shares Kennedy. “But the real revelation for me with the DSR4, was that it allowed me to maintain consistency with my older gear—it didn’t become obsolete. I can use a mixture of my new DBu and LT transmitters with my old plug on transmitters, and in Hybrid compatibility mode, with a few button pushes, I can dial up anything I want, and there’s no restrictions on frequency spacing. That’s been amazing.
For Kennedy, who now tackles corporate gigs and commercials for respected brands including Verizon and Archwell Health, and documentary features like a recent piece on Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, staying with Lectrosonics means choosing certainty. “While I’ve tried other brands over the years, I’ve always returned to Lectrosonics because it’s just such a trusted name for me,” concludes Kennedy. “Lectrosonics products provide great reception, great quality, and are kind of indestructible.”
About Lectrosonics
Well-respected within the film, broadcast, and theatre technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company’s dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics received an Academy Scientific and Technical Award for its Digital Hybrid Wireless® technology and is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Visit the company online at www.lectrosonics.com.
